Container



June 11, 1935. G. c. ERB

CONTAINER Filed July 50, 1952 Patented June 11, 1935 UNITED STATES- PATENTY OFFlCE w The present invention relates to an improvement in tearing strip key opening containers and has particular reference to a tongue construction which reduces the container cost and which facilitates removal of thetearing strip inthe'opening of the container.

The principal object of the present invention is the provision of a tearing strip container having a specially constructed tongue which allows for manufacture of the container from a smaller body blank with a resulting saving in container cost.

An important object of the invention is the provision of a container having a specially constructed tongue which facilitates and maintains proper engagement with an opening key during the container opening process.

Numerous other objects of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawing: I

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a container embodying the present invention;

Figs. 2 and 3 are fragmentary elevations of the container illustrated in Fig. 1, showing an opening key in difierent tongue engaging positions;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 illustrating a modified form of the invention, parts of the opening key being broken away; and

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing the key in fully engaged position.

In the manufacture of containers adapted to be opened by removal of tearing strips, a tongue is usually associated with the tearingstrip for engagement with an opening key havingatongue engaging slot and the tongue and strip are wound upon the key in the opening of the container. The tongue may be an integral part of the tearing strip and formed as an extension of the body blank projecting beyond the side seam of the container.

The present invention effects a considerable saving in material in the body blank by shortening the amount of projection beyond the edge of the blank required by the length of tongue. This short tongue is made possible by the forming of a head at its end to prevent the opening key from slipping off at the beginning of the opening operation thereby eliminating the usual need of sulficient tongue length to allow for wrapping around the key shank in order to hold the key on the tongue.

'To illustrate this invention, there is disclosed. a container II 'comprisinga body member l2 having a side seam I 3 and top and bottom end closure members 15," l6,suitably secured to the body as by double seams. Circumferentially spaced score 5 lines I8, I Sinthe body l2 outline a tearing strip 2| which terminates in a tongue 23vextending beyond the'side seam 13. The tongue 231s considerably shorter than an ordinary tongue used in tearing strip' containers and is provided with a pair of oppositely disposed notches 25 located near its end. These notches set off a head 2'! and the outer vertical wall of each notch provides internal shoulders 28 for the tongue head. The shoulder or shoulders 28 is sufficiently abrupt to 15 prevent the key from slipping ofi from the end of the tongue when the winding operation is begun. In this form of notched head the width'or height of the head is the same as the width of the tongue 23.

Such a tongue .23'is easily engaged by a slotted opening key 3|. A slot 32 of the key 3| is first slipped over the head 21 of the tongue as shown in Fig. 2 and the key is then moved transversely either down or up until the key shank adjacent 25 the slot engages behind one of the shoulders 28 as shown in Fig. 3. The key 3| in such a position is prevented from sliding off the end of the tongue and may be immediately revolved to wind up and tear out the tearing strip in the usual manner. 30

Since the key is held on the tongue at the beginning of its rotation it is not necessary to first wrap the tongue around the key shank to hold it on the key for the actual work of removing the tearing strip. No winding tongue length is needed and accordingly a much shorter tongue may be used. This means that the original rectangular body blank to form the container (which includes th shorter tongue) uses a lesser amount of stock material with a resulting saving in cost. 0

Since the tongue must be cut from a part of the sheet material beyond the edge of the body blank the notches 25 just described can be dispensed with and a larger tongue head formed without any further material cost. Figs. 4 and 5 4 disclose such a modification of tearing strip tongue. For this purpose a full width of tongue is used as at 4| and this tongue is formed with a head 42 made wider than the tongue by oppositely disposed projections 43. Such a head 42 may even be wider than the length of the slot 32 in the key 50 3| and in that case the key is put on the tongue in a slightly different manner.

In assembling the key on the tongue under such conditions the keyis first brought into inclined 55 position and one end (preferably the lower end) of the key slot 32 is slipped past the lower projection 43 of the head 42 and the key still in inclined position is lifted as shown in Fig. l. The upper projection 43 of the tongue head 42 will now go through the key slot 32 when the key is brought to vertical position as shown in Fig. 5.

The tongue is thus fully engaged in the key and as in the case of the notched tongue 23 previously described rotation of the key immediatelywinds up and removes the tearing strip, thus opening the container.

be employed to remove the tearing strip of the embodiment earlier described.

that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts, withut. e ar nef o hg gi i t ands o g iih i ventionlor sacrificing all 0f, its material advan tag'es, the formfhe reinbeiore described being, merely a. preferred embodiment thereof I claim:

1. In a tearing strip, container, a, tearing strip set off by a score line and' adaptedtoberemoved byaslotted key to open thecontainer, said tear Likewise a key having a slot shorter than the overall width of the head 21 can ing strip terminating in an abbreviated tongue, said tongue being just long enough to permit the mounting upon it for the opening operation of said key by threading the tongue through the slot of the key, without bending said tongue to hold said key, said tongue having an abrupt shoulder near its extremity for engagement by said key in opening the container, the engagement of said key with said shoulder preventing said key from slipping off" the abbreviated tongue.

2. In a tearing strip container, a tearing strip set off by a score line and adapted to be removed by aslotted key to open the container, said tearing strip terminating in an abbreviated tongue, said tonguetbeingi'justtlong enough to permit the mountingiupon it lfor the opening operation of said-key by threading the tongue through the slot of the, key without/bending said tongue to hold 'said key, said tongue having a portion near its extremitylcut away to provide an abruptly shoul- (is-red. head forengagementbysaid key in opening thec'ontainer, the, engagement of said key with said shoulder preventing fsaid key from slipping ofi theabbreviated tongue, the rotation or, said key immediately separating the endof thew tearing strip from the container without first, 

